JP6002535B2 - Ballot paper reading method, ballot paper reader, and ballot paper sorter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a voting paper reading method, a voting paper reading device, and a voting paper sorting machine including the reading device.

  As a voting paper sorter, the following Patent Document 1 proposes a paper sheet counting and sorting machine. This paper sheet counting and sorting machine discriminates the type of voting paper based on the hopper on which the voting paper is placed, the reading unit for reading the image (image information) of the voting paper fed from the hopper, and the image information And a plurality of stackers in which voting paper classified based on the discrimination result by the discrimination unit is accumulated for each type.

Here, the voting form has a front side and a back side, and a front side has an entry frame. Candidate names and party names (collectively referred to as “candidate names”) are entered in the entry box.
In the following Patent Document 2, when it is determined that writing other than the candidate name is performed on the back side of the ballot paper (hereinafter referred to as “other matters”) in the process of reading the image of the ballot paper, the ballot paper is invalidated. Or it is rejected as needing re-examination.

  In the following Patent Document 3, in the process of reading the image of the ballot paper, the presence / absence of other matters in the area outside the entry frame on the surface of the ballot paper is detected.

Japanese Patent No. 4732966 JP 2012-14228 A JP 2012-23550 A

  Other matters may be entered not only in the area outside the entry frame on the front and the back side of the ballot, but also in the entry frame. In the case of Patent Documents 2 and 3, The presence or absence of other matters cannot be determined. For this reason, ballots with other information in the entry box are distributed to the stacker assigned to the candidate name if the candidate name is read, and rejected if the candidate name is not read.

  Ballots with other matters described (referred to as “other matters description vote”) are likely to become invalid votes, so the extent of other matters stated in the other matters statement (such as the size of other matters) It is necessary for the attendant at the counting office to visually check the degree of writing). Nonetheless, the other event description vote is distributed to the stacker assigned to the candidate and mixed with the final vote (voting sheet with only the name of the applicable candidate), or rejected due to factors other than the other event description. If it is mixed with paper, it will take time to extract only the other matters description slip later. In addition, when the other matter description vote is mixed with the stacker in which only the final vote is to be stored, a question arises as to whether all the voting sheets in the stacker are the final vote.

  The present invention has been made under such background, and provides a voting paper reading method, a voting paper reading device, and a voting paper sorter capable of improving the convenience and reliability of other matters description slips. The purpose is to do.

The invention described in claim 1 is a method for reading a ballot paper, the step of obtaining an image in a candidate name entry frame on the ballot paper, and character candidate pixels constituting the obtained image in the entry frame. A step of generating a plurality of groups, a step of generating a character candidate that approximates the shape of each group of the character candidate pixels, and a step of specifying a candidate name written in the entry frame by combining the character candidates When the candidate name is specified , when there is a group of the character candidate pixels that are the basis of the character candidate that has not been used for specifying the candidate name, there is another description in the entry box. And voting paper reading method, characterized by comprising In the invention according to claim 2, the step of determining that there is another description in the entry box cannot generate the character candidate when the candidate name is specified, and is not used for specifying the candidate name. 2. The ballot paper reading method according to claim 1, wherein when there is a group of candidate character pixels, it is determined that there is another description in the entry box.

According to a third aspect of the invention, step of determining that there is another thing described before Symbol entry frame, the size of said group of character candidate pixel which has not been used for a particular candidate name satisfies a predetermined condition Occasionally, characterized in that it comprises a step of determining that there is another thing according to the entry frame, a reading method of ballots according to claim 1 or 2 wherein.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ballot paper reader, an acquisition means for acquiring an image in a candidate name entry frame on a ballot paper, and a character candidate pixel constituting the acquired image in the entry frame. by combining the group generation means a group generates a plurality of the character candidate generating means for generating a respective group and shape approximated character candidates before Symbol character candidate pixels, the character candidate, entered into the entry frame The specifying means for specifying the candidate name, and when the candidate name is specified , the entry is performed when there is a group of the character candidate pixels from which the character candidate that has not been used for specifying the candidate name exists. A ballot paper reader, comprising: a determination unit that determines that there is another description in the frame.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the reading device according to the fourth aspect, a plurality of storage units for storing voting paper, and a voting paper that has been determined by the determining means to have other information in the entry frame. A voting paper sorter including distribution control means for allocating to a predetermined storage unit.

According to this invention, Ru can be serial to accurately detect the ballot there are other things described in input in the box (the other events described vote) to distinguish it from the other ballots.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a state in which a voting paper classification system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is set on a desk 2 as viewed from the front side. FIG. 2 is a front view of the voting paper sorting machine 3 of the voting paper sorting system 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the voting paper sorter 3. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the voting paper classification system 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the surface of the voting paper H. As shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control operation performed in the voting paper classification system 1. FIG. 7 is a diagram including a flowchart showing the candidate name specifying process of FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram conceptually showing processing for determining the presence or absence of other information T in the entry frame W of the voting form H.

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a state in which a voting paper classification system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is set on a desk 2 as viewed from the front side.
A ballot paper classification system 1 shown in FIG. 1 is automatically classified for each candidate and / or for each political party, which is set at a balloting place in an election and collected from each balloting place to the balloting place. In the following, candidates and political parties are collectively referred to as “candidates”, and candidate names and political party names are collectively referred to as “candidate names”.

  The voting paper classification system 1 includes a voting paper classification machine 3, a control PC 4, and a printer 5. The voting paper sorter 3 actually performs the voting paper sorting work, and the control PC 4 is a so-called personal computer, and sets the classification conditions and the like in the voting paper sorter 3 and fills in the contents of the voting paper. The printer 5 outputs classification results and the like on paper. The control PC 4 may be regarded as a part of the voting paper sorter 3.

The ballot paper classification system 1 is set on the desk 2 such that the ballot paper sorting machine 3, the control PC 4, and the printer 5 are arranged in this order, for example. The control PC 4 is communicably connected to each of the voting paper sorter 3 and the printer 5 via a communication cable 6.
To give an overview of the flow of the balloting process for the ballots collected at the balloting office, first, after the voting is completed, the staff will bring the ballot box filled with ballots to the balloting office and use the ballot in the ballot box. Spread on top of the desk (which may be the desk 2 on which the ballot paper classification system 1 is set). Then, the clerk appropriately stacks the ballots on the desk to form a bundle, and sets the bundle in the ballot paper sorter 3. The voting paper sorter 3 takes voting paper one by one from the set bundle and reads the candidate names entered on the voting paper. The read candidate name is recognized (also serves as a primary check) by the control PC 4. Thereafter, in the ballot paper classifier 3, the ballot paper is classified for each candidate name, and the ballot paper is totaled for each candidate name. Thereafter, the classified ballots are visually inspected (secondary inspection) by a staff member and then re-counted, and a series of vote counting operations is completed.

In addition, the voted ballots are classified into a confirmed vote and an undecided vote.
The final vote is a valid vote that can be added to the tabulation when the entered candidate names are read correctly and the candidate names are correct. The final vote is subjected to the secondary inspection described above after completing the counting in the ballot paper sorter 3.
An undecided vote is a voting form other than a confirmed vote, and is subdivided into a white vote, an invalid vote, a questionable vote, a prorated vote, a reject vote (conveyance defect vote), and a stacker full vote.

A white vote is a blank ballot with no candidate name.
An invalid vote is a ballot in which a name other than one of the candidates (that is, the wrong candidate name) has been entered, or an extra item such as a letter other than the candidate name (other matters) It is a ballot (filled with other matters) filled in. The ballot with the wrong candidate name entered is an obvious invalid vote, but the other person's entry form will be judged by the clerk as to whether it will be valid or invalid, depending on the degree of other matters described. .

Questionnaires cannot be identified by the ballot paper classifier 3 because some of the entries (candidate names here) are incorrect or unclear, and are not valid. Refers to the ballot that needs to be judged. Since the candidate name is not correctly entered in the questionnaire, the ballot paper classifier 3 cannot normally read (identify) the candidate name from the questionnaire.
The apportionment vote is a ballot that is ambiguous and you do not know which of the candidates you have selected. For example, if there are two candidates with the same surname, Ichiro Tanaka and Jiro Tanaka, the voting form in which only the last name “Tanaka” is entered is a prorated vote. In the case of a prorated vote, for example, the share of each candidate is set based on the final number of votes obtained for each of the corresponding multiple candidates, and one prorated vote is assigned to each share of the multiple candidates. Divide and add to each candidate's acquisition vote. For example, if the previous Ichiro Tanaka got 1000 votes, and Jiro Tanaka finally got 500 votes, a prorated vote with only the last name “Tanaka” filled in was one vote. Suppose it came out. In this case, Ichiro Tanaka can multiply the value obtained by multiplying one vote by 1000 / (1000 + 500) as his share in the proportional vote, and Jiro Tanaka gives 500 / (1000 + 500 to the vote. ) Can be used as the share in the prorated vote.

Whether the white vote, invalid vote, question vote, and apportioned vote can be added to the total after being checked by the attendant (strictly, the examiner who manages the election) after the primary check with the ballot classification machine 3 Are individually determined.
In the ballot paper sorter 3, the reject vote is in a skew state (a state inclined at a predetermined angle or more with respect to the advancing direction), a state in which the preceding ballot paper or the subsequent ballot paper is abnormally approached, or a multi-feed state (multiple sheets) The voting paper is not read due to being conveyed in a state where the voting papers of the two are overlapped). The reject vote is not removed due to a problem with the entry itself, and is therefore set again in the ballot paper sorter 3.

The stacker full vote is a voting sheet that cannot be distributed to the storage unit because the storage unit (stacker 34 to be described later) that should be distributed is full. Similarly to the reject vote, the stacker full vote is not excluded because of a problem with the entry itself, and is therefore set again in the voting form sorting machine 3.
Next, the details of the ballot paper classification system 1, particularly the ballot paper sorting machine 3, will be described.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the voting paper sorter 3.
In FIG. 2, the front side of the paper is the front side (front side) of the voting paper sorter 3, the back side of the paper is the back side (rear side) of the voting paper sorter 3, and the upper side of the paper is the upper side of the voting paper sorter 3. Yes, the lower side of the paper is the lower side of the voting paper classifier 3, the left side of the paper is the left side of the voting paper classifier 3, and the right side of the paper is the right side of the voting paper classifier 3. In the following, when specifying the postures of the voting paper sorter 3 and the components constituting the voting paper sorter 3, the front, rear, up, down, left and right directions are used.

  The voting paper sorter 3 includes a main unit 10 and a stacker unit 11. In FIG. 2, two stacker units 11 are shown. The main unit 10 and the stacker unit 11 are both vertically long boxes, but the main unit 10 is wider than the single stacker unit 11 in the left-right direction. The main unit 10 takes in the voting paper, reads the entry items and classifies them for each candidate, and the stacker unit 11 divides and classifies the classified voting paper for each candidate.

  The stacker unit 11 is connected to the main unit 10 from the left side. Further, another stacker unit 11 can be connected to the stacker unit 11 connected to the main unit 10 from the left side. In the same procedure, a plurality of (up to eight in this embodiment) stacker units 11 can be connected to the main unit 10 in series from the left side. That is, in this voting paper sorter 3, the stacker units 11 can be freely added according to the number of candidates.

The main unit 10 can be separated into a first block 12 that forms a substantially lower half and a second block 13 that forms a substantially upper half. Each of the first block 12 and the second block 13 has a box shape that is long on the left and right.
A rectangular door 62 is provided on the front (front side) of the first block 12. The door 62 can be opened and closed by pivoting about a pivot shaft extending left and right at the lower end thereof. FIG. 2 shows a state where the door 62 is closed. The door 62 can be opened by placing a hand on the handle 62A provided at the upper end of the door 62 and pulling it forward. When the door 62 is opened, the internal space of the first block 12 is exposed to the front side.

  A rectangular door 63 is provided in front of the second block 13. The door 63 can be opened and closed by pivoting about a pivot shaft extending vertically at the left end thereof. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the door 63 is closed. The door 63 can be opened by placing the hand on the handle 63A provided at the right end of the door 63 and pulling it forward. When the door 63 is opened, the internal space of the second block 13 is exposed to the front side.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the voting paper sorter 3.
Referring to FIG. 3, on the right side surface of the first block 12, an insertion port 14 and a rejection port 15 are provided adjacent vertically (thick broken line portion). The reject port 15 is located higher than the input port 14. The first block 12 includes a concave hopper 16 continuously recessed from the insertion port 14 toward the inside of the first block 12 and a left side toward the interior of the first block 12 continuously from the reject port 15. A concave reject tray 17 (housing portion) is provided. A bottom surface 16 </ b> A of the hopper 16 (a surface facing upward in the hopper 16) is inclined and extended to the lower left side. On this bottom surface 16A, a large number of voting sheets H to be classified can be placed (set) in a state of being stacked one above the other. At this time, in order to prevent a conveyance failure such as a jam, the fold of the voting paper H is removed by an attendant. Since the hopper 16 is located near the desk 2 at the lower end of the right side surface of the first block 12, the voting paper H spread on the desk 2 can be easily set in the hopper 16.

In the hopper 16, an operation button 7 is provided at a position easily accessible from the outside. The operation button 7 is pressed by a staff member to start or stop the voting paper H classification process by the voting paper classification machine 3. (See FIG. 1).
In the reject tray 17, the above-described reject vote (voting paper H classified as a reject vote) is discharged from the machine and stored. Since the reject tray 17 is provided in the vicinity above the hopper 16, the reject tray 17 is located at a position where the reject slip stored in the reject tray 17 can be easily taken out and reset in the hopper 16.

A main body conveyance path 18 for conveying the voting paper H set in the hopper 16 is formed in the main body unit 10. The main body conveyance path 18 includes a first conveyance path 19 provided in the first block 12 and a second conveyance path 20 provided in the second block 13.
In the first block 12, the first conveyance path 19 extends substantially horizontally from the left end of the bottom surface 16A of the hopper 16 to the left side, bends in front of the left side wall of the first block 12, and extends substantially vertically upward. After being bent again and extending substantially horizontally to the right side, the upper surface of the first block 12 is reached after being bent in an approximately S-shape when viewed from the front.

  The second transport path 20 extends upward from a position continuous with the first transport path 19 on the lower surface of the second block 13 in the second block 13, and then bends substantially S-shaped in front view to the right side. After extending upward and curving and extending substantially horizontally to the left side, bending in front of the left side wall of the second block 13 and extending substantially vertically upward, bending again and bending to the left side, the second block 13 It has reached the left side.

  In such a main body conveyance path 18 (first conveyance path 19, second conveyance path 20), the side closer to the hopper 16 is the upstream side, and the side away from the hopper 16 (from the first conveyance path 19 to the second conveyance path 20). Side) is the downstream side. The downstream end 18 </ b> A of the main body conveyance path 18 serves as an outlet in the main body conveyance path 18 and is provided at the upper end portion of the left side surface of the second block 13. In the main body unit 10, various large and small transport rollers 24 (may be transport belts) that are rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) are provided at a plurality of positions facing the main body transport path 18. Further, in the first block 12, an intake roller 25 that is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) is provided so as to be partially exposed from the bottom surface 16 </ b> A of the hopper 16.

  The voting paper H set on the bottom surface 16A of the hopper 16 is taken into the first transport path 19 by the take-in roller 25 and then transported from the upstream side to the downstream side by the transport rollers 24 in the main body transport path 18. Is done. Although the main body conveyance path 18 is curved left and right and up and down, it is not formed so as to be biased in the front-rear direction, so that the voting paper H flowing in the main body conveyance path 18 is less likely to be jammed in the middle.

  The first block 12 is provided with a first reading sensor 31 (acquisition means) and a second reading sensor 32 (acquisition means). The first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 are disposed slightly downstream from the hopper 16 in a portion that extends substantially horizontally to the left side in the first conveying path 19, and the first reading sensor 31 is the first conveying sensor. The second reading sensor 32 faces the first conveyance path 19 from the bottom, with the path 19 facing from the top. The first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 are constituted by light receiving elements using a CCD or the like. When the voting paper H transported through the first transport path 19 passes just below the first reading sensor 31, the first reading sensor 31 takes an image of the surface facing upward in the voting paper H and an image of this surface. (Bitmap image) is acquired. When the voting paper H transported through the first transport path 19 passes right above the second reading sensor 32, the second reading sensor 32 takes an image of the surface facing downward in the voting paper H, and this surface An image (bitmap image) is acquired. The first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 may be arranged at the same position in the direction along the first conveyance path 19 or may be arranged so as to be shifted as shown in FIG.

In the main unit 10, a switchback transport path 21, a reject transport path 22, and a spiral transport path 23 are connected (bypassed) to a part of the main body transport path 18. As a result, the switchback transport path 21, the reject transport path 22 and the spiral transport path 23 are part of the main body transport path 18.
The switchback transport path 21 is provided in the first block 12. The switchback transport path 21 branches upward from a portion extending substantially horizontally to the right side in the first transport path 19, and is approximately horizontal to the left side. Then, it extends to the upper right side so as to form a substantially V shape when viewed from the front, and joins the first conveyance path 19 (the portion on the downstream side of the position branched earlier). The portion described above that is substantially V-shaped in the switchback conveyance path 21 will be referred to as a reversal space 26. Strictly speaking, the reversal space 26 is a single space having a triangular cross-section that has a substantially V-shaped outline and narrows to the left in a front view. positioned. The left end of the inversion space 26 is referred to as the “back part” of the inversion space 26.

  In the first block 12, a hitting roller 27 is provided on the opposite side (right side) of the reverse portion 26 in the inversion space 26. The tapping roller 27 is a rotating body having a rotating shaft extending in the front-rear direction, and a plurality of tapping rubbers 27A projecting radially outward are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface thereof. In the first block 12, an endless transport belt 28 is provided above the inversion space 26. The lower outer peripheral surface of the conveyor belt 28 faces the inversion space 26 from the upper side. The conveyor belt 28 is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front by receiving a driving force from a motor (not shown). In the first block 12, a guide member 29 is provided in the inner part of the inversion space 26. The guide member 29 defines the inner portion of the reversal space 26 and can change its position according to the size of the voting paper H (see broken line arrow). Further, the transport roller 24 described above is provided as appropriate at a position facing the switchback transport path 21.

  The reject conveyance path 22 is provided in the first block 12. The reject conveyance path 22 branches from the first conveyance path 19 and extends substantially horizontally to the right side at a position downstream of the position where the switchback conveyance path 21 joins the first conveyance path 19, and is connected to the reject tray 17. ing. Further, the transport roller 24 described above is appropriately provided at a position facing the reject transport path 22.

  The spiral conveyance path 23 is provided in the second block 13. The spiral conveyance path 23 branches from the portion (upstream side) in front of the portion that extends substantially horizontally to the left side in the second conveyance path 20, then curves and extends to the left side, and the left wall of the second block 13. The second conveyance path 20 (the portion on the downstream side of the position branched earlier) is joined while curving upward. Further, the transport roller 24 described above is appropriately provided at a position facing the spiral transport path 23. A spiral mechanism 30 is provided in a portion extending to the left side in the middle of the spiral conveyance path 23. The spiral mechanism 30 is a mechanism that reverses 180 degrees around a virtual axis (not shown) extending in the left-right direction while conveying the voting paper H to the left side (downstream side) (see a white arrow). The spiral mechanism 30 and the spiral conveyance path 23 are described in detail as a front / back reversing device in Japanese Patent No. 4119664.

  In addition, the conveyance destination of the voting paper H is switched to a position where the switchback conveyance path 21, the rejection conveyance path 22 and the spiral conveyance path 23 branch in the main body conveyance path 18 (first conveyance path 19 and second conveyance path 20). For this purpose, a switching member (triangular portion in FIG. 3) 33 is provided. The switching member 33 changes its posture by being driven by a solenoid (not shown), whereby the destination of the voting paper H flowing through the main body transport path 18 is changed to the main body transport path 18 (first transport path 19, second transport path). 20) or can be switched to any one of the switchback conveyance path 21, the reject conveyance path 22, and the spiral conveyance path 23.

  In the stacker unit 11, a plurality (eight in this case) of stackers 34 (housing units) are provided in a vertically aligned position at the left side. Each stacker 34 has a box shape, and has an outlet 35 on the front side, and the internal space of the stacker 34 is exposed to the front side from the outlet 35 (see FIG. 1). In principle, each stacker 34 is assigned a candidate name (candidate name or political party name), and each voting sheet H is stored in a stacked state in each stacker 34.

In this embodiment, the maximum number of voting sheets H stored in each stacker 34 is 130. However, the upper limit number of voting sheets H that can be stored in the stacker 34 is set to a predetermined number smaller than the maximum number of stored sheets for convenience. Can be set.
Here, referring to FIG. 2, a display lamp 36 composed of an LED or the like is provided on the front side of the stacker unit 11 on the left side of each stacker 34. That is, the display lamp 36 is provided for each stacker 34.

  Each display lamp 36 is turned off in a standby state in which nothing is contained in the corresponding (right adjacent) stacker 34. When at least one voting sheet H is stored in the corresponding stacker 34, the indicator lamp 36 lights up in blue, for example. To do. When the number of voting sheets H stored in the stacker 34 reaches the near full number near the maximum stored number, the display lamp 36 blinks in blue, for example. In this case, even when the stored number reaches the maximum stored number, the display lamp 36 continues to flash in blue.

Each display lamp 36 blinks red when an error such as a jam occurs in the corresponding stacker 34. The blinking interval in error is shorter than the blinking interval in other cases.
Thus, the state of each stacker 34 can be grasped at a glance according to the state of the display lamp 36. In the stacker 34 in which the number of stored sheets reaches the upper limit number, the internal voting paper H is promptly taken out by a staff member. Therefore, the clerk who sees the blue blinking display lamp 36 can quickly grasp that it is necessary to take out the voting paper H of the stacker 34 corresponding to the display lamp 36.

  Further, a vertically long rectangular door 64 is provided in an area on the right side of the front (front side) of the stacker unit 11 (an area on the right side of each stacker 34). The door 64 can be opened and closed by pivoting about a pivot shaft extending vertically at the right end thereof. FIG. 2 shows a state where the door 64 is closed. The door 64 can be opened by placing a hand on the handle 64A provided at the left end of the door 64 and pulling it forward. When the door 64 is opened, the internal space in the area on the right side of the stacker unit 11 is exposed to the front side.

Returning to FIG. 3, the stacker unit 11 is formed with a stacker conveyance path 37 that receives and conveys the voting paper H that has passed through the second conveyance path 20 (main body conveyance path 18) of the main body unit 10. The stacker conveyance path 37 includes a horizontal conveyance path 38, a vertical conveyance path 39, and a branch path 40.
In the stacker unit 11, the horizontal conveyance path 38 is on the left side from the position continuous with the second conveyance path 20 (downstream end 18 </ b> A of the main body conveyance path 18) on the right side surface of the stacker unit 11 to the left side surface of the stacker unit 11. It extends substantially horizontally.

The vertical conveyance path 39 branches from the horizontal conveyance path 38 in the stacker unit 11 and extends substantially vertically downward at a position on the right side of the eight stackers 34. The lower end of the vertical conveyance path 39 is in front (upper) of the bottom surface of the stacker unit 11. Within each stacker unit 11, the upper and lower eight stackers 34 are arranged substantially vertically along a common vertical conveyance path 39.
The number of branch paths 40 is the same as that of the stackers 34 (eight in this case), and these branch paths 40 are arranged vertically at equal intervals. The seven branch paths 40 other than the lowermost end branch from the vertical conveyance path 39 and are connected to the stacker 34 located at the same position in the vertical direction from the right side. The lowermost branch path 40 is continuous from the lower end of the vertical conveyance path 39 and is connected to the lowermost stacker 34 from the right side.

In the stacker unit 11, various large and small conveyance rollers 41 (which may be conveyance belts) that are driven to rotate by a motor (not shown) are provided at a plurality of positions facing the stacker conveyance path 37.
Further, in the stacker conveyance path 37, the switching member 42 similar to the switching member 33 described above is provided at a position where the vertical conveyance path 39 branches from the horizontal conveyance path 38 or a position where each branch path 40 branches from the vertical conveyance path 39. Is provided.

The voting paper H transferred from the second conveyance path 20 to the stacker conveyance path 37 is conveyed along the horizontal conveyance path 38 by the rotating conveyance rollers 41. The voting paper H is conveyed as it is in the horizontal conveyance path 38, or after being conveyed to the vertical conveyance path 39, flows through one of the branch paths 40 and is stored in the stacker 34 to which the branch path 40 is connected. .
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the additional stacker unit 11 is connected to the stacker unit 11 connected to the main unit 10, the voting paper that has passed through the lateral conveyance path 38 is It is transferred to the horizontal conveyance path 38 of the stacker unit 11 and flows through the horizontal conveyance path 38 as it is, or is stored in the stacker 34 of the additional stacker unit 11.

Next, how the ballot paper H set in the hopper 16 flows in the ballot paper sorter 3 will be described. Here, in the ballot paper H, a surface on which a candidate name (here, a candidate name “G”) is written is referred to as a front surface, and a surface opposite to the front surface is referred to as a back surface.
Voting paper H is set on the bottom surface 16A of the hopper 16 in a stacked state. At this time, the voting paper H is set so that the longitudinal direction is along the front-rear direction, but is set without aligning the front and back and the direction of the candidate names. Like the voting paper H attached with the symbol H1 in FIG. 3, the front side is facing up, and the candidate names of the surface are entered from the rear side (the back side in FIG. 3) to the front side (the front side in FIG. 3). Is the correct posture that does not require subsequent posture conversion.

  After the voting paper H is set on the bottom surface 16A, when the clerk presses the operation button 7 (see FIG. 1), the transport roller 24 and the take-in roller 25 rotate, and the voting paper H is sequentially moved from the side closer to the bottom surface 16A. The sheets are taken into the first transport path 19 one by one. At this time, the conveying direction of the voting paper H is along the short direction of the voting paper H. When the voting paper H flowing through the first conveyance path 19 passes through the first reading sensor 31, an image of the upper surface of the voting paper H is taken (acquired) by the first reading sensor 31, and the voting paper H is read second. When passing through the sensor 32, an image of the lower surface of the voting paper H is taken (acquired) by the second reading sensor 32. That is, the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 sequentially acquire images on both sides of the voting paper H (taken after being set in the hopper 16) one by one. The acquired image is transmitted to the control PC 4 (see FIG. 1).

  The control PC 4 (strictly speaking, a control unit 70 (see FIG. 4) described later) recognizes the received image (description content of the ballot paper H). Then, the control PC 4 determines whether or not the voting paper H from which the image has been acquired by the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 is the above-mentioned confirmation vote, and if it is not the confirmation vote, any unconfirmed Identify whether it is a vote (white vote, invalid vote, question vote, proportional vote, reject vote or stacker full vote). That is, the control PC 4 not only discriminates between the confirmed vote and the undecided vote, but at least one (here, all) of the white vote, the question vote, the invalid vote, the apportioned vote, the reject vote, and the stacker full vote is not yet obtained. Identify on a final vote.

  If only one candidate name in the current election is included in one of the upper and lower images acquired from the ballot H, the control PC 4 determines that the ballot H is a final vote. Identify. Since the control PC 4 stores a plurality of pattern entry examples (such as fonts and typefaces) assumed for candidate names for each candidate, there is some variation in the size and cleanliness of characters in the entered candidate names. Even if it exists, it can be identified whether or not a predetermined candidate name is entered.

  If the candidate name is not included in any of the upper surface image and the lower surface image acquired from the ballot paper H (if no candidate name is described), the control PC 4 determines that the ballot paper H is a white vote. Is identified. If any of the top and bottom images obtained from the ballot paper H contains items other than the candidate names to be elected (except those originally listed on the ballot paper H), The control PC 4 identifies that the voting paper H (the voting paper H with a name of a candidate other than the candidate name, the name of a political party, or an extra description) is an invalid vote (including other matters description form). If any description item is included in any one of the upper surface image and the lower surface image acquired from the ballot paper H, but the description content cannot be identified, the control PC 4 determines that the ballot paper H is the questionnaire. Is identified. If any one of the upper surface image and the lower surface image acquired from the ballot paper H includes a confusing name that cannot be identified as one of a plurality of candidate names, the control PC 4 causes the ballot paper H (multiple Is identified as a proportional vote.

  Of the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32, the reading sensor closer to the hopper 16 (here, the first reading sensor 31) has a leading edge and a trailing edge of the voting paper H to be passed ( By reading (edge), it is possible to detect that the voting paper H is conveyed in a skewed state, or to detect that the voting paper H is conveyed in an abnormally close state.

If it is normal, the leading edge of the voting paper H is in a horizontal line and should pass through the reading sensor (here, the first reading sensor 31) at the same time, but it takes time for the leading edge to pass through the reading sensor. The voting paper H is taken obliquely from the hopper 16 into the main body conveyance path 18 and is conveyed in a skew state.
When the distance between the trailing edge of the preceding ballot paper H and the leading edge of the subsequent ballot paper H is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the preceding ballot paper H and the following ballot paper H are “abnormally approached”. It is determined that the sheet is being conveyed. “Abnormal approach” is also a type of conveyance failure, and the voting sheet H that has abnormally approached is rejected as a reject vote.

On the other hand, the “double feed state” in which a plurality of voting sheets H are rolled out is detected by a double feed detection sensor (not shown) provided separately from the reading sensor. The “double feed state” is also a kind of conveyance failure, and the double-feed state voting paper H is rejected as a reject vote.
The reading sensor (including the above-described double feed detection sensor) detects that the voting paper H is being conveyed in a skewed state, an abnormally approaching state, or a multi-feed state (the voting paper H has been taken in). Then, the fact that it is transmitted to the control PC 4, while the image of the ballot paper H is not acquired (photographed). When receiving the notification, the control PC 4 identifies that the voting paper H passing through the reading sensor at that time is a reject vote. In addition to the skew state, the abnormal approach state, and the double feed state, the take-in trouble of the voting paper H includes a state in which the skew state, the abnormal approach state, and the double feed state occur simultaneously. The double feed state may be detected by detecting the thickness and weight of the voting paper H. Here, the method of detecting the skew state and abnormal approach state of the voting paper H by the reading sensor that captures an image of the voting paper H has been described. However, a skew detection sensor and an abnormal approach detection sensor are provided separately from the reading sensor. You may make it provide.

Even if only one candidate name in the current election is included in the image acquired from the ballot paper H, if the stacker 34 assigned to the candidate is full, the control PC 4 determines that the ballot paper H is Identify it as a stacker full vote.
Further, in the voting paper sorter 3, when a sudden stop occurs due to an error or the like during operation, the voting paper sorter 3 is operated so as to be idle when restarting after the error is released. During the idling operation, when the reading sensor closer to the hopper 16 (here, the first reading sensor 31) detects the voting paper H, it transmits the detection result (that the voting paper H has been detected) to the control PC 4. On the other hand, the image of the ballot paper H is not acquired. When receiving the detection result, the control PC 4 identifies that the voting paper H passing through the reading sensor at that time is a reject vote.

  As described above, the control PC 4 receives the content received from the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 (there may be an image, not an image, but a signal indicating that a capture failure has occurred, or during idling operation) The type of voting paper H corresponding to this content (whether it is a final vote or what type of undecided vote is not a final vote) is identified. Since the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 sequentially transmit the contents one by one from the one sent from the hopper 16 to the control PC 4, the control PC 4 is set in the hopper 16. The vote sheets H are sequentially identified one by one. The voting paper H identified by the control PC 4 through the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 is conveyed to the stacker 34 and the reject tray 17 by the main body conveyance path 18 and the stacker conveyance path 37. . Here, the voting paper H transported to the stacker 34 is transported to the downstream end 18A by the main body transport path 18 and then fed out from the downstream end 18A and transported to the predetermined stacker 34 via the stacker transport path 37. And stored in the stacker 34.

Further, as the control PC 4 sequentially identifies the ballots H, the control PC 4 can count each of the finalized vote in which the same candidate name is entered and each type of unconfirmed vote. The count result (voting result) is displayed on the display unit 8 provided in the control PC 4 or is output on paper by the printer 5 (see FIG. 1).
Further, the control PC 4 identifies the posture of the voting paper H on which the screen is photographed, based on the two types of images received from the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 (the above-described top and bottom images). You can also Specifically, based on the above-described ballot H with the correct posture (see the ballot H1), the candidate name is written from the rear side to the front side in the upper image, and the candidate name is written in the lower image. If not, the control PC 4 identifies that the ballot H is in the correct posture. Conversely, if the control PC 4 identifies that the voting sheet H is not in the correct posture, the control PC 4 can determine how the voting sheet H can be in the correct posture. That is, if the control PC 4 reverses the voting paper H around the longitudinal axis (rotates 180 °), reverses it around the short axis, or performs both inversions, It is determined whether or not the ballot paper H can be in the correct posture.

The following description will be made on the assumption that the identified voting sheet H is a final vote (see FIG. 3).
As described above, the voting paper H (H1) set in the hopper 16 in the correct posture flows through the main body conveyance path 18 without branching to the switchback conveyance path 21, the rejection conveyance path 22, and the spiral conveyance path 23. Then, the stacker unit 11 (including the added stacker unit 11) is transferred to the stacker conveyance path 37 and stored in one of the stackers 34 (the corresponding candidate name stacker 34) as described above. The voting paper H stored in the stacker 34 (refer to the one attached with the symbol H2) is stored in the stacker 34 in the correct posture as when set in the hopper 16 (voting paper H1).

  When the voting paper H (H1) set on the hopper 16 in the correct posture branches to the switchback conveyance path 21, it enters the reversal space 26 and comes into contact with the back guide member 29, and then turns clockwise. It is struck upward by the tapping rubber 27A of the rotating tapping roller 27 and pressed against the conveying belt. As a result, the voting paper H is switched back and conveyed from the reversing space 26 to the right side by the conveying belt 28 that moves counterclockwise. At this time, the voting paper H is conveyed in the direction opposite to that when entering the inversion space 26, as indicated by reference numeral H3. The voting paper H that has been transported back by the switch then flows through the main body transport path 18 and is stored in the stacker 34. The voting paper H stored in the stacker 34 (refer to the one attached with the reference numeral H4) is different from the voting paper H1 when it is set on the hopper 16 (voting paper H1), and the voting paper H1 is reversed around the longitudinal axis. It is stored in the stacker 34 in the posture when it is done. In this way, the switchback transport path 21 can reverse the front and back of the voting paper H (transported through the main body transport path 18) and the transport direction (direction in the short direction).

  When the voting paper H (H1) set in the hopper 16 in the correct posture flows through the main body conveyance path 18 and reaches the upstream (upstream side) of the branch position between the second conveyance path 20 and the spiral conveyance path 23, The voting paper H viewed from the right side is given the symbol H5. When the voting paper H5 continues to flow through the main body conveyance path 18 and is stored in the stacker 34, the voting paper H5 is placed in the stacker 34 in the correct posture in the same manner as when it is set on the hopper 16 (voting paper H1) as indicated by reference numeral H2. Stored.

  On the other hand, when the voting paper H5 branches to the spiral conveyance path 23, the voting paper H5 is reversed about its own short axis by the spiral mechanism 30, and then merges with the main body conveyance path 18. The ballot paper H viewed from the right side after joining is denoted by reference numeral H6. In the ballot paper H6, the front and back are reversed compared to the ballot paper H5, and the direction of the candidate name “G” is also reversed. Thereafter, when the voting sheet H6 flows through the main body conveyance path 18 and is stored in the stacker 34, both the front and back sides and the direction of the candidate name “G” are reversed when set on the hopper 16 as indicated by reference numeral H7. It is stored in the stacker 34 with the posture. Thus, the spiral conveyance path 23 can at least reverse the front and back of the voting paper H (which is conveyed through the main body conveyance path 18).

Further, when the voting paper H3 switched back in the switchback transport path 21 passes through the spiral transport path 23 and then is stored in the stacker 34, when it is set in the hopper 16 so as to be denoted by reference numeral H8. Is stored in the stacker 34 in a posture in which only the direction of the candidate name “G” is reversed.
Thus, in this voting paper sorter 3, the voting paper H1 set on the hopper 16 is accommodated in the stacker 34 as it is (see the voting paper H2), or the switchback conveyance path 21 and the spiral conveyance path 23. By passing it through both or one of them, it can be accommodated in the stacker 34 in three different postures (see voting papers H4, 7, and 8) different from those set in the hopper 16.

By properly using these four transport patterns, the voting paper H set in the hopper 16 without being aligned can be accommodated in the stacker 34 with the same orientation.
In addition, among the above-mentioned unconfirmed votes, a predetermined type of unconfirmed vote (for example, a reject vote or a stacker full vote) branches to the reject conveyance path 22 in the first conveyance path 19 and is conveyed to the rejection tray 17. Is done.

The above is the main flow of the voting paper H.
Next, the electrical configuration of the voting paper sorter 3 will be described.
Here, the internal configuration of the main body unit 10 includes the feeding unit 45, the image reading unit 46, the conveying unit 47, the switchback reversing unit 48, and the rejecting unit 49 provided in the first block 12, and the second block 13. It is subdivided into a spiral reversing part 50 provided. Further, the internal configuration of the stacker unit 11 is subdivided into a horizontal conveyance unit 51 and a vertical conveyance unit 52.

  The feeding portion 45 includes the hopper 16, a transport roller 24 and a take-in roller 25 (including a motor for rotating these rollers) around the hopper 16, and a part connected to the hopper 16 in the first transport path 19. . The image reading unit 46 performs first reading on the first reading sensor 31, the second reading sensor 32, the transport roller 24 (including a motor that rotates the transport roller 24) around these sensors, and the first transport path 19. A part of the periphery of the sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 is included. The conveyance unit 47 includes a portion continuing from the image reading unit 46 in the first conveyance path 19 and a conveyance roller 24 (including a motor that rotates the conveyance roller 24) around the portion.

  The switchback reversing unit 48 includes all the portions of the first conveyance path 19 that continue from the conveyance unit 47, the switchback conveyance path 21, the surrounding conveyance rollers 24, the hitting rollers 27, and the conveyance belt 28 (these rollers and belts are connected). Including a motor to be moved) and a guide member 29. The switchback reversing unit 48 further includes a switching member 33 (including a solenoid that moves the switching member 33) at a branch portion between each of the switchback transport path 21 and the reject transport path 22 and the first transport path 19. Therefore, the switchback reversing unit 48 is disposed in a part of the main body conveyance path 18 (the first conveyance path 19 and the switchback conveyance path 21).

The reject unit 49 includes the reject tray 17, the reject transport path 22, and a transport roller 24 (including a motor that rotates the transport roller 24) around the reject transport path 22.
In the first block 12, each of the feeding unit 45, the image reading unit 46, the conveying unit 47, the switchback reversing unit 48, and the rejecting unit 49 can be individually divided.

  The spiral reversing unit 50 includes a second conveyance path 20, a spiral conveyance path 23, a conveyance roller 24 (including a motor that rotates the conveyance roller 24) around these conveyance paths, a spiral mechanism 30, and a second conveyance path. It includes a switching member 33 (including a solenoid for moving the switching member 33) at a branch portion between the path 20 and the spiral conveyance path 23. Therefore, the spiral reversing unit 50 is disposed in a part of the main body conveyance path 18 (second conveyance path 20 and spiral conveyance path 23).

The horizontal conveyance unit 51 includes a horizontal conveyance path 38, a portion of the vertical conveyance path 39 that is connected to the horizontal conveyance path 38, and conveyance rollers 41 around the horizontal conveyance path 38 (including a motor that rotates the conveyance rollers 41). In addition, a switching member 42 (including a solenoid that moves the switching member 42) at a branch portion between the vertical conveyance path 39 and the horizontal conveyance path 38 is included.
The vertical conveyance unit 52 includes a vertical conveyance path 39, each branch path 40, a switching member 42 (including a solenoid that moves the switching member 42) at a branch portion between the vertical conveyance path 39 and each branch path 40, a vertical conveyance path 39 and a conveyance roller 41 (including a motor for rotating the conveyance roller 41) around each branch path 40.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the voting paper classification system 1.
Referring to FIG. 4, the main body unit 10 of the voting paper sorter 3 is provided with an overall control unit 55 composed of a microcomputer or the like. The overall control unit 55 includes electrical components of the feeding unit 45, the image reading unit 46, the conveying unit 47, the switchback reversing unit 48, the rejecting unit 49, and the spiral reversing unit 50 (the motor, solenoid, and first reading sensor 31 described above). And the second reading sensor 32). Further, the above-described operation button 7 is electrically connected to the overall control unit 55. The main body unit 10 is provided with an interface such as a USB hub 56, and the overall control unit 55 and the image reading unit 46 are connected to the control PC 4 via the USB hub 56. In addition, each display lamp 36 (see FIG. 2) described above is electrically connected to the overall control unit 55, and the overall control unit 55 controls the lighting pattern of each display lamp 36.

  Here, the control PC 4 is provided with a control unit 70 constituted by a microcomputer or the like. In addition to the control unit 70 and the display unit 8 described above, the control PC 4 includes an operation unit 9 (also see FIG. 1) configured by a keyboard and the like, and a storage unit 71 for storing various information. Each of the display unit 8, the operation unit 9, and the storage unit 71 is electrically connected to the control unit 70. In the control PC 4, the control unit 70 is communicably connected to the overall control unit 55 and the image reading unit 46 of the voting paper sorter 3 via the USB hub 56.

  Each stacker unit 11 is provided with a stacker control unit 57 composed of a microcomputer or the like, and the stacker control unit 57 has electric components (the motor and solenoid described above) of the horizontal conveyance unit 51 and the vertical conveyance unit 52. ). Further, the stacker control unit 57 of each stacker unit 11 is connected to the overall control unit 55 so as to be communicable.

  Further, the main unit 10 is provided with a power supply device 59 that receives power from the outside via a plug 58. From the power supply device 59, an overall control unit 55, a feeding unit 45, an image reading unit 46, a transport unit 47, a switch Electric power is supplied to each of the back inversion unit 48, the reject unit 49, and the spiral inversion unit 50. Further, when the stacker unit 11 is added, the power of the power supply device 59 is supplied to the four stacker units 11 connected in series to the main unit 10 (in FIG. 4, the second and third stacker units 11 are illustrated. The power is supplied from the power supply device 59 to each of the stacker control section 57, the horizontal transport section 51, and the vertical transport section 52 in each stacker unit 11. In this embodiment, when the fifth and subsequent stacker units 11 (FIG. 4 shows the fifth and sixth stacker units 11) are added from the outside via the plug 60. An additional power supply 61 for receiving power is separately provided, and power is supplied from the additional power supply 61 to the fifth and subsequent stacker units 11. Further, the stacker control units 57 of the fourth and fifth stacker units 11 can communicate with each other via the power supply device 61 for expansion.

  In the ballot paper classification system 1 in the stopped state, when the clerk presses the operation button 7 as described above, the overall control unit 55 of the ballot paper sorting machine 3 performs the feeding unit 45, the image reading unit 46, the transport unit 47, the switchback. The motors of the reversing unit 48, the rejecting unit 49, and the spiral reversing unit 50 are driven to rotate the conveying roller 24 and the take-in roller 25, and to move the conveying belt 28 around. Thereby, in the feeding unit 45, the voting paper H set in the hopper 16 is sequentially fed out and taken into the main body conveyance path 18, and is conveyed downstream in the main body conveyance path 18. At this time, the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 of the image reading unit 46 acquire the contents (images) of the front and back of the voting paper H that is taken in and sent by the feeding unit 45 and send it to the control PC 4. Then, the control unit 70 of the control PC 4 recognizes the received image (which may not be an image as described above), and then identifies the type of the ballot paper H and identifies the attitude of the ballot paper H. . The control unit 70 determines the transport destination of the identified voting paper H as a result of the identification.

  The control unit 70 of the control PC 4 transmits the determined transport destination to the overall control unit 55 of the voting paper sorter 3. At this time, if it is necessary to change the attitude of the voting paper H, the control unit 70 gives instructions on how to do it (whether or not one or both of the switchback conveyance path 21 and the spiral conveyance path 23 are allowed to pass). It transmits to the control part 55. Based on the received content, the overall control unit 55 controls the solenoid described above so as to go to the determined transport destination to switch the direction of the switching members 33 and 42, so that the voting paper H is transported as determined. It is transported to the destination (stacker 34 or reject tray 17). The direction of the switching member 42 is switched by the stacker control unit 57 that receives an instruction from the overall control unit 55. Further, the overall control unit 55 switches the direction of the switching member 33 as necessary, passes the voting paper H in the middle of conveyance through one or both of the switchback conveyance path 21 and the spiral conveyance path 23, and performs the voting. Change the orientation of the paper H.

  Here, as described above, the front and back images of the voting paper H acquired by the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 are transmitted to the control PC 4, and the control unit 70 of the control PC 4 recognizes the images. Thus, the type of the voting paper H is identified. A series of processes from photographing (acquisition) of the image of the voting paper H by the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 to identification of the type of the voting paper H based on the recognition of the image by the control unit 70 A process for reading the paper H (reading process) is defined.

  In FIG. 5, a vertically long voting paper H is illustrated as an example. On the front surface of this ballot paper H (the front side in FIG. 5), a heading M indicating what kind of ballot paper this election ball H is and a candidate name N are entered by voters. The entry frame W is described in advance by printing using ink or the like that cannot be erased or corrected. The heading M in FIG. 5 is a vertically written character string “3rd XX election ballot”. The entry frame W in FIG. 5 is a rectangular frame that is long (vertically long) in the longitudinal direction of the voting paper H. The vertical direction of the entry frame W in FIG. 5 may be referred to as “vertical direction”, and the horizontal direction of the entry frame W in FIG. At a position adjacent to the entry frame W from the outside on the surface of the voting form H, a note C (a horizontal character string “entry frame” on the upper side of the entry frame W in FIG. 5) indicating the existence of the entry frame W is described in advance. May be. In the ballot H shown in FIG. 5, the candidate name N “Taro Yamada” and the other matter description T are entered in the entry frame W by the voters. It is a matter entry slip. For convenience of explanation, the other matter description T in FIG. 5 is a character string as “other matter description” as it is, but the point is a description other than the current candidate name, and at least of characters, figures, and symbols. Consists of either. Note that the trace (dirt) of the writing instrument attached to the voting paper H when the voter enters the candidate name in the entry frame W is included in the above-mentioned figure and is the other matter description T.

6 and 7 are flowcharts showing an example of the control operation performed in the voting paper classification system 1. FIG. 8 is a diagram conceptually showing processing for determining the presence or absence of other information T in the entry frame W of the voting form H.
In the following, the reading process related to the other matter description slip as shown in FIG. 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the ballot paper sorter 3 and the control PC 4 are separate devices. Therefore, when looking at the entire voting paper classification system 1, the control unit 70 of the control PC 4 and the overall control unit 55 of the voting paper classification machine 3 are mainly responsible for the processing in charge of the individual processing in the reading processing. The control operation is performed. However, there may be a configuration in which the control PC 4 is incorporated in the voting paper sorter 3. Therefore, in the following, it is assumed that the control PC 4 is incorporated in the voting paper sorter 3, and the control unit 70 and the overall control unit 55 (including the stacker control unit 57 of each stacker unit 11) are included in the voting paper sorter 3. The description will be made assuming that the control unit 100 is included (acquisition unit, classification unit, generation unit, identification unit, determination unit, distribution control unit). The first reading sensor 31, the second reading sensor 32, and the control unit 100 constitute a device (reading device 90) that performs the reading process of the voting paper H (see also FIG. 4).

  Referring to FIG. 6, control unit 100 (overall control unit 55) displays images of the entire areas on the front and back surfaces of voting paper H that is fed from hopper 16 and conveyed downstream in main body conveyance path 18. , Acquired by the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32, and transmitted to the control PC 4 (step S1). The image here is the bitmap image (digital image) described above, and is composed of a large number of pixels.

  The control unit 100 (the control unit 70 of the control PC 4) identifies the entry image W by transmitting the image to the control PC 4 (the images of the entire areas of the front and back surfaces of the voting paper H), thereby identifying the front image. At the same time, after specifying the area in the entry frame W in the image on the surface, only the image in the area is cut out (step S2). This image is referred to as an “entry frame image”. In the entry frame image, although the entry frame W has an outline, the entry frame image does not include the entry frame W itself (rectangular diagram). In steps S <b> 1 and S <b> 2, the control unit 100 uses the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 to acquire an image in the candidate name entry frame W on the surface of the ballot paper H.

Next, the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) identifies the candidate name N actually entered in the entry frame W based on the image (entry frame image) in the entry frame W that has been cut out (acquired). The process (candidate name specifying process) is performed (step S3).
Referring to FIG. 7, as candidate name specifying processing, control unit 100 (control unit 70) firstly selects pixels (“character candidate pixels” that can be regarded as characters written by the voters for all the pixels constituting the entry frame image. And a pixel (referred to as “background pixel”) that can be regarded as the background of the entry frame W of the ballot paper H (a blank portion where no characters are written) (step S11). ). That is, the control unit 100 sorts the acquired image in the entry frame W into character candidate pixels and background pixels.

  Next, the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) generates a group G of character candidate pixels by concatenating and grouping a plurality of consecutive character candidate pixels among all the character candidate pixels. A segment rectangle S is generated (defined) for each group G (step S12). One character segment rectangle S includes all character candidate pixels constituting one group G, and each character segment rectangle S is the smallest rectangle circumscribing one included group G (circumscribed rectangle). It is.

  For example, with reference to the illustration on the right side of the flowchart in FIG. 7, when the character “Kai” is entered in the entry frame W, in step S12, a large number of character candidate pixels constituting this character are “ The group G1 that constitutes “I”, the group G2 that constitutes “l”, the group G3 that constitutes “Y”, and the group G4 that constitutes “arrow” are grouped. In step S12, a character segment rectangle S circumscribing each group G is generated. In the case of the character “K”, the character segment rectangle S1 circumscribing the “G” group G1, the character segment rectangle S2 circumscribing the “G” group G2, and the character segment rectangle circumscribing the “Y” group G3 S3 and a character segment rectangle S4 circumscribing the “arrow” group G4 are generated. Each character segment rectangle S includes a group (any one of groups G1 to G4) that circumscribes (includes) itself. Note that the “circumscribed” here is a character segment rectangle such that a slight gap is provided between the group G2 of “l” and the outline of the character segment rectangle S2, as in the character segment rectangle S2. The case where the group G is included in S is also included.

After generating the character segment rectangle S in this way, the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) integrates a plurality of character segment rectangles S, or divides one character segment rectangle S into a plurality of character segment rectangles S. (Step S13).
Here, from the balance between the size of the entry frame W and the number of characters in the candidate name, the range of the size per character of the characters entered in the entry frame W (area of the character segment rectangle S circumscribing one character) is It is determined to some extent and is stored in advance in the storage unit 71 (see FIG. 4) of the control PC 4 as a reference size. Therefore, in step S13, the control unit 100 compares the size of each character segment rectangle S generated in step S12 with the reference size.

  If the character segment rectangles S smaller than the reference size (lower limit value of the reference size) are adjacent in the vertical and horizontal directions (if they overlap), the control unit 100 integrates these character segment rectangles S to 1 One character segment rectangle S is formed. For example, in the case of the “season” described above, each of the four character segment rectangles S1 to S4 is smaller than the reference size by itself. Therefore, these character segment rectangles S1 to S4 are integrated into one character segment rectangle S5 circumscribing the group “G5” called “K”.

  On the other hand, if there is a character segment rectangle S that is larger than the reference size (upper limit value of the reference size) alone, the control unit 100 divides the character segment rectangle S into a plurality of character segment rectangles S. For example, if two characters “MA” and “SU” are entered in the entry frame W in a state where they are connected vertically, in step S12, one character segment rectangle S6 circumscribing the group G6 “MASU” is generated. Is done. Since the character segment rectangle S6 is larger than the reference size by itself, the character segment rectangle S6 is divided into a character segment rectangle S7 circumscribing the group G7 “ma” and a character segment rectangle S8 circumscribing the group G8 “su”. As an example, the division position when dividing one character segment rectangle S is set to a division position expected when the character segment rectangle S is divided for each reference size.

As described above, the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) has a plurality of character segment rectangles S in the vertical and horizontal directions of the entry frame W and based on the size of the character segment rectangles S. The character segment rectangles S are integrated or the individual character segment rectangles S are divided.
After repeating the integration and / or division of the character segment rectangle S in this manner, the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) performs a character approximation in shape to the group G in each character segment rectangle S that finally remains. A candidate (character candidate K) is generated (step S14). One character candidate K corresponds to one character.

  In the specific example, in the case of the character segment rectangle S5 configured by integrating the four character segment rectangles S1 to S4, the control unit 100 determines the shape of the group G5 in the character segment rectangle S5 and the shape in step S14. The character candidate K called “scenario” that is approximated in terms of the number is generated. Further, when one character segment rectangle S6 is divided into the character segment rectangle S7 and the character segment rectangle S8, the control unit 100 approximates the shape of the group G7 in the character segment rectangle S7 in step S14. And a character candidate K “su” that approximates the shape of the group G8 in the character segment rectangle S8.

  Here, a list L (see FIG. 8) of all candidate names reported in the current election is stored in the storage unit 71 (see FIG. 4) of the control PC 4. This list L stores a list of various writing methods assumed for each candidate name. As a way of writing here, for example, in the case of a candidate name, both the name is written in kanji or hiragana, only one of the names is written in kanji, or only the last name is written. In the case of the candidate name “Taro Yamada”, “Yamada Taro”, “Yamada Taro”, “Yamada Taro”, “Yamada”, “Yamada”, etc. are listed as the way of writing, except that both names are written in Kanji (see figure). 8 see list L). The control unit 100 refers to all characters existing in the list L (whether Kanji or Hiragana), and if there is a character that is most similar in shape to the group G, the control unit 100 selects the character candidate K for the group G as follows: Generate as similar characters. In this case, a character candidate K can be quickly generated for the group G that approximates the character in the list L.

Note that the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) does not stick to the characters in the list L for any group G that does not approximate any character in the list L, and some character candidate K that approximates the group G in shape. Is generated. Therefore, various characters that can be referred to in order to generate the character candidate K are preferably stored in the storage unit 71 (see FIG. 4).
Finally, in step S14, the control unit 100 (control unit 70) generates a character candidate K for each of all the character segment rectangles S that remains after integration and division.

  Referring to FIG. 8, as described above, candidate name N composed of a character string “Taro Yamada” and other characters composed of a character string “other matter description” in an entry frame W of ballot paper H. Suppose that the description T is entered. Then, as a result of the processing in steps S12 and S13, the control unit 100 determines that the character candidate K1 “yama” from the character candidate pixel (group G in the character segment rectangle S) for “Taro Yamada” in step S14. , A character candidate K2 “ta”, a character candidate K3 “thick”, and a character candidate K4 “ro” are generated. Further, in step S14, the control unit 100 determines, from the character candidate pixels for “other matter description”, the character candidate K5 “other”, the character candidate K6 “thing”, the character candidate K7 “notice”, A character candidate K8 of “print” is generated.

  In addition, like the “other” character, each element (in this case, “I” and “YA”) constituting this character may be a single character candidate K in some cases. In this case, the control unit 100 generates all possible character candidates K. Therefore, for the character “other”, the control unit 100 generates not only the character candidate K5 “other” but also the character candidate K9 “i” and the character candidate K10 “ya”. In addition, for the character “mark”, the control unit 100 generates not only the character candidate K7 “mark” but also the character candidate K11 “word” and the character candidate K12 “self”.

As described above, the control unit 100 generates the character candidate K entered in the entry frame W using the character candidate pixels.
If there is a description J that cannot be recognized as a character such as “˜” in the entry frame W of the ballot paper H, the control unit 100 cannot generate the character candidate K from the character segment rectangle S of the description J. Therefore, instead, a mark M indicating “x” is generated as meaning that there is a character candidate pixel for which the character candidate K could not be generated.

  Returning to FIG. 7, after generating the character candidate K, the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) generates a character string by recognizing the character candidate K in combination, and specifies the candidate name from the character string (step) S15). At this time, the control unit 100 generates a character string by combining adjacent character candidates K in consideration of the arrangement of a plurality of character candidates K in the vertical and horizontal directions. Specifically, in the case of FIG. 8, the control unit 100 combines the vertical (upper and lower) character candidate K1, the character candidate K2, the character candidate K3, and the character candidate K4 in the vertical arrangement order, and vertically writes “Taro Yamada”. Generate a string.

  In step S <b> 15, the control unit 100 confirms whether the combination (character string) of the adjacent character candidates K matches one of the writing candidate names in the list L. In the case of FIG. 8, a combination of character candidate K1, character candidate K2, character candidate K3, and character candidate K4 (a vertically written character string “Taro Yamada”) is written in the list L with both names written in kanji. Matches "Taro". Therefore, the control unit 100 completes the current candidate name specifying process (step S3) by specifying the candidate name “Taro Yamada” in step S15. That is, the control unit 100 specifies the candidate name N actually entered in the entry frame W from the character candidate K.

Thereafter, returning to FIG. 6, the control unit 100 (control unit 70) determines the presence or absence of other information T in the entry frame W (step S <b> 4), and ends the series of ballot paper H reading processing.
As a specific example of the determination of the presence / absence of other event description T, with reference to FIG. 8, the control unit 100 uses the character candidate K (character in the case of FIG. It is confirmed whether there are other character candidates K and marks M other than candidates K1 to K4). Then, there exist other character candidates K and marks M, and the size (area) of any character segment rectangle S among the individual character segment rectangles S from which these character candidates K and marks M are based. If it is larger than a predetermined threshold (threshold for determining other event description), the control unit 100 determines that there is another event described. On the other hand, if all the individual character segment rectangles S from which the other character candidates K and marks M are based are less than or equal to the predetermined threshold value, or the other character candidates K and marks M do not exist in the first place. The control unit 100 determines that there is no description of other matters. In the case of FIG. 8, since the character candidates K5 to K12 exist as the other character candidates K, and the mark M also exists, any character segment rectangle S of the character candidates K5 to K12 or the mark M is predetermined. If it is larger than the threshold value, the control unit 100 determines that there is other description.

  In other words, the control unit 100 detects pixels that are not used for specifying the candidate name N in the acquired image in the entry frame W (individual character candidates K and marks M that are not used for specifying the candidate name). Based on the presence / absence of a character candidate pixel included in the character segment rectangle S), the presence / absence of other information T in the entry frame W is determined. In particular, the control unit 100 satisfies a predetermined condition (character segment rectangle S containing the group G of character candidate pixels is larger than the predetermined threshold) for character candidate pixels that are not used for specifying candidate names. Sometimes it is determined that there is an other matter description T in the entry box W.

  When the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) determines that the other event description T is present in the entry frame W, the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) identifies the ballot sheet H that has been read this time from the other event description sheet. The transport destination is determined as a storage unit dedicated to the other matter description slip (for example, the reject tray 17), and the transport destination is transmitted to the overall control unit 55 of the voting paper sorter 3. Accordingly, the control unit 100 (the overall control unit 55 and the stacker control unit 57) distributes the other matter description slip to the reject tray 17 (predetermined storage unit) by conveying it to the reject tray 17. In this way, since the presence / absence of the other event description T in the entry frame W of the ballot paper H is determined, the ballot sheet H (other event description slip) having the other event description T in the entry frame W is accurately detected. Thus, it is possible to distinguish from other voting papers H, so that it is possible to improve the convenience and reliability of the other matter description slip. In addition, since the other matter description slip can be distributed to a predetermined storage unit so as not to be mixed with other ballots H, the convenience and reliability of the other matter description slip can be further improved. . For example, compared with the case where the other event description slip is mixed with the final vote and stored in the stacker 34, the trouble of extracting only the other event description slip from the stacker 34 can be saved. In the final voter stacker 34, since other event description votes are not mixed, only the final vote is surely stored.

  On the other hand, if the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) determines that there is no other matter description T, the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) specifies the vote sheet H that has been subjected to the current reading process if there is no unconfirmed vote factor other than the other matter description T. It is identified from the specific vote with the candidate name written. Then, the control unit 100 (the control unit 70) determines the transport destination of the ballot paper H as the stacker 34 assigned to the candidate name, and transmits the transport destination to the overall control unit 55 of the ballot paper sorter 3. To do. Thereby, the overall control unit 55 conveys the confirmation slip to the determined stacker 34. In addition, if there is a factor of the undecided vote other than the other matter description T, the voting paper H is conveyed to the conveyance destination assigned to the undecided vote of the factor.

The present invention is not limited to the contents of the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, when the first reading sensor 31 and the second reading sensor 32 acquire an image of the entire front and back sides of the voting paper H, the entry frame W is identified from the image every time it is acquired. Thus, the area inside the entry frame W is automatically specified (extracted). Instead, the position information of the entry frame W in the ballot paper H is set in advance, and based on the position information, only the image of the area inside the entry frame W in each ballot paper H is cut out, The candidate name N may be specified or the presence / absence of the other event description T may be determined.

Further, the presence / absence of other information T in the entry frame W of the ballot paper H is determined. However, not only in the entry frame W but also on the surface of the ballot paper H using the above-described reading process procedure. You may make it discriminate | determine the presence or absence of other matters description in the area | region outside the entry frame W, or the back surface of the ballot paper H. FIG.
Further, when determining the presence / absence of the other event description T, the size of any one of the character segment rectangles S that are the source of the character candidates K and the marks M that are not used for specifying the candidate names is large. If is larger than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that there is other description. However, if there is a character candidate K other than the candidate name in the entry box W, it may be determined promptly that other matters are described regardless of the size of the character segment rectangle S for the character candidate K. Good.

The list L (see FIG. 8) described above is not only stored in the storage unit 71 of the control PC 4 in advance, but the latest list L stored in a storage medium such as a CD is copied to the control PC 4, It may be newly stored in the storage unit 71 by being downloaded to the control PC 4 online.
Further, the classification process by the ballot paper classifier 3 is started by pressing the operation button 7 by an attendant, but may be automatically started when the attendant sets the vote paper H in the hopper 16.

The ballot paper sorter 3 may be provided with a mechanism capable of preventing or eliminating the double feed state and the skew state of the ballot paper H.
In the above-described embodiment, the ballot H is a type (self-format) in which a candidate name (or a party name) is entered. For example, all candidate names are described in advance, On the voting form H, the candidate name (to be selected) may be enclosed in circles “circle” or circled near the candidate names.

  Note that the ballot paper classification system 1 only needs to include at least the ballot paper sorting machine 3 and the control PC 4, and therefore the printer 5 described above may be appropriately discarded. Further, as described above, a configuration in which the voting paper sorter 3 and the control PC 4 are integrated (a configuration in which the control PC 4 is incorporated in the voting paper sorter 3) may be employed. In this case, the voting paper sorter 3 includes the reading device 90 described above.

In addition, among the factors (unconfirmed) in the unconfirmed vote, it is useless to assign factors that occur extremely low to individual stackers 34. You may set so that a final vote may be distributed to one stacker 34.
In addition, the control PC 4 identified all of the reject vote, question vote, invalid vote, white vote, stacker full vote, and proportional vote, but at least one of these (others) May be identified as an unconfirmed vote.

3 ballot paper sorter 17 reject tray 31 first reading sensor 32 second reading sensor 34 stacker 55 overall control unit 90 reading device 100 control unit G group H ballot paper K character candidate N candidate name S character segment rectangle T other description W Entry frame

Claims (5)

A method for reading a ballot,
Obtaining an image in a candidate name entry box on a ballot;
Generating a plurality of groups of character candidate pixels constituting the acquired image in the entry frame ;
Generating character candidates that approximate the shape of each group of the character candidate pixels;
Combining the character candidates to identify candidate names entered in the entry box;
When a candidate name is specified, it is determined that there is another description in the entry box when there is a group of the character candidate pixels that is a source of the character candidate that has not been used to specify the candidate name. And a process of
A method for reading a ballot paper, comprising: The step of determining that there is another description in the entry box is that when the candidate name is specified, the character candidate cannot be generated, and the group of the character candidate pixels not used for specifying the candidate name is 2. The ballot paper reading method according to claim 1, wherein when it exists, it is determined that there is another description in the entry frame. Step of determining that there is another thing described before Symbol entry frame, when the magnitude of said group of character candidate pixel which has not been used for a particular candidate name satisfies a predetermined condition, the entry frame 3. The ballot paper reading method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of determining that there is other information. A ballot paper reader,
An acquisition means for acquiring an image in a candidate name entry frame on a ballot;
Group generation means for generating a plurality of groups of character candidate pixels constituting the acquired image in the entry frame;
A character candidate generating means for generating a respective group and shape approximated character candidates before Symbol character candidate pixel,
A specifying means for specifying the candidate name entered in the entry box by combining the character candidates;
In the case where the candidate name is specified, it determines that when the group of the character candidate pixel which is the source of the character candidates that were not used to a particular candidate names exist, there are other things described in the entry frame Determination means to perform,
A voting paper reader, comprising: A reading device according to claim 4;
A plurality of storage units for storing voting paper;
A distribution control unit that distributes the voting paper determined by the determination unit to have a description of other matters in the entry frame, to a predetermined storage unit;
A voting paper sorter characterized by including:

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